No. 4 Zags preparing for showdown with Washington State

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- What's currently the best basketball rivalry in the Northwest resumes Wednesday when No. 4 Gonzaga travels to Washington State.

The Zags (6-0) are so wary of WSU's slowdown game that they brought some of their past players to practice this week to mimic the Cougars.

"They brought us here because at our full speed we play at Washington State's pace," joked Matt Santangelo, a guard who graduated in 2000 and holds Gonzaga's career assist record.

Santangelo was there to portray WSU point guard Taylor Rochestie. Casey Calvary, who graduated in 2001, stood in for WSU center Aron Baynes. Alex Hernandez, Brian Michaelson and Colin Floyd also took turns giving the current Gonzaga players a workout.

Unfortunately for Washington State (6-2), those ancient Zags won't be on the floor in Pullman on Wednesday.

The Cougars are looking for their third straight win over the Bulldogs, but are having trouble scoring. They lost 58-52 to No. 22 Baylor last Saturday at Friel Court. Earlier, they lost 57-43 to No. 3 Pittsburgh.

"I don't think many people think we've got much of a chance," Washington State coach Tony Bennett said. "That's a tremendously talented team we are going against."

After hearing about the former Zags, Bennett said he wished he could get Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver from last year's team to Pullman to simulate Gonzaga's fast break. An idea to get former Cougars James Donaldson, Craig Ehlo and Brian Quinnett, who all graduated in the 1970s and 1980s, to run the break was not as sound, Bennett joked.

The Zags are on a roll, beating Oklahoma State, Maryland, No. 8 Tennessee and Indiana in their past four games. Indiana plays a similar slowdown game to Washington State, but still lost 70-54 last Saturday in Indianapolis.

The fact that WSU has won two straight grates on some of the Zags.

"They've beaten us twice in a row, that's enough said," Gonzaga point guard Jeremy Pargo declared. "I don't need to say more."

"It's an in-state rivalry and bragging rights are at hand," said center Josh Heytvelt, who will battle Baynes.

Coach Mark Few expects the Cougars will try to keep the score in the 50s to slow down the Zags, who average 80 points per game.

Baylor came in averaging more than 80 points per game, but was held to a season-low 29 in the first half versus Washington State. The Cougars are allowing just 45 points per game.

"That isn't the way we normally play," Few said. "But we adjusted well to Indiana last weekend."

Rochestie, Baynes and Daven Harmeling provide a solid basis for a team that isn't as young as it seems, Few said. The Cougars have been playing five freshmen per game, including starter Klay Thompson, who is averaging 11 points per game.

"He's a heck of a player," Few said.

Bennett is pleased with his team's defensive play, but the lack of scoring is becoming a problem.

"We've got to get as many quality shots as we can," Bennett said. "We need a couple two or three guys on the floor who can make plays."

Washington State beat Gonzaga 51-47 in Spokane last December. Two years ago the Cougars won 77-67 in Pullman in a game that saw WSU fans storm the floor afterward, and launched the Cougars into the national spotlight.

Bennett is pleased to be playing the Zags even at a time when his team his struggling. A crowd of more than 11,000 is expected for the 144th edition of a game that has become one of the region's hotter tickets.

"Every time we play Gonzaga our guys are very excited," Bennett said. "They are a measuring stick."

"It's good for basketball in the Northwest," he added.

Gonzaga also had a spirited annual series against Washington, but the Huskies grew weary after losing eight of the past nine games and dropped it on the grounds they wanted to play a more national schedule. So far this year they have played the likes of Cleveland State, Florida International, Texas Southern and Portland.

Calvary, who played in three wins over UW, doesn't think that's right.

"It's a real shame UW doesn't play them anymore," Calvary said. "I admire WSU."

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.